The national song Vande Mataram was played ahead of the national anthem before India’s opening T20I against Afghanistan. This marked the first time this sequence has been followed at an international cricket match in India, following a directive tied to government protocol. A BCCI source stated that Vande Mataram will now be played before the anthem at the start of the first match of a home series.
The move sparked a political row. The Congress party questioned the decision and asked why the change was introduced at a cricket match instead of through wider public consultation. In response, the BJP accused Congress of opposing the national song due to an appeasement mindset and invoked historical comparisons to the pre-independence Muslim League’s objections.
The change also caused confusion during the live broadcast, as cricket associations and broadcasters reportedly had limited advance notice and the shift had not been widely publicised. Commentators noted the episode reignited a long-running debate over the relative status of the national anthem and the national song, which has historical ties to the freedom movement alongside objections over its religious imagery.